LED Light Usage Spotlight: LED Bicycle Handlebars

It just makes sense to use LED light for bicycles. For one thing, LED lights are extremely bright, so they’re sure to catch the attention of nearby motorists. While most bike lights are intended for this sole purpose – to announce the presence of a biker to drivers – LED lights are also powerful enough to light your way through dark streets this winter. Finally, LED lights are efficient, so you won’t have to change out batteries every week just to make it through your commute.

If you’re hoping to jump on the LED light for bicycles train, there are several approaches you can take. First, you can buy LED lights designed just for two-wheelers. As many bike commuters can tell you, however, less expensive bike lights are often poorly made, so they fail to function after a few months on the road. If you’re willing to invest a bit more for a well-lit ride (think $100+), you can purchase a top-shelf bike light that should continue to shine brightly for a good long time.

Here are a few less expensive ways to brighten up your nighttime rides:

For the DIY Masters: Wrap LED strip around handlebars.

Bike culture is all about hacking solutions for your ride, so why not make a weekend project out of it? Surfing YouTube will turn up a number of bike light hacks, including this video explaining how to wrap a string of LED lights around your handlebars. Note: If you’re not comfortable with soldering wires and sewing, this project is probably too difficult, and you may want to choose one of the options below.

Easy and Quick: Buy a flashlight holder.

You can attach an LED flashlight to your handlebars or rear frame using a bike-specific flashlight holder. There are a variety of flashlight mounting systems out there, but we’re big fans of the Two Fish Unlimited Flashlight Holder, which has a simple design that can accept flashlights of nearly any size – and it’s available at a super low price (under $10). One especially effective approach: Mount two flashlights to your handlebars; aim one at oncoming traffic and another down at the road to light your way.

Complete Kit: Choose an LED flashlight with a built-in clip.

Finally, there are a few LED lights that come with a clip mount you can attach to your clothing or gear. For example, our G15 LED flashlight includes a removable clip that can quickly be attached to your helmet, backpack or rack.

To conclude, we recommend spending a little extra time researching any LED lights you intend to use on your bike. Select models that are impact resistant (to put up with bumpy roads) and tightly constructed to be water resistant (so that rain doesn’t corrode internal elements).